Evolving Patterns of Labour Migration from Romania in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic

This paper examines the specifics of the migration process in recent years, from before the COVID-19 pandemic to the post-pandemic years. It focuses on the reasons why Romanian citizens choose to emigrate to other EU member countries and explores the factors that motivate their return. The paper also includes a bibliometric analysis of the literature on labour migration during the pandemic and post-pandemic period, with a focus on the works published in the period 2019-2024, as well as a detailed analysis of data collected at the Romanian level by the National Employment Agency (ANOFM), reported for the period January 2019 - September 2023. Main results entail clear trends and intentions of Romanians to work abroad in the coming years, considering the skills and competencies that will be required in the future in a globalized digital economy and the training and knowledge of certain fields of activity.